If I Were Reborn, I Wouldn’t Marry You - Chapter 127

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 127
“You always loved this.”
As I made a show of how difficult it had been to procure something discontinued, Leonhardt exhaled a deliberate sigh.
I picked up the smallest doll from those arranged before us and nestled it into Leonhardt’s arms.
Despite its diminutive size—barely that of a newborn—it looked endearingly delicate cradled against him.
“You used to only want that rabbit doll back then.”
I murmured wistfully, my voice tinged with tender nostalgia.
“How far back are you reaching? And when I was four, I was bigger than this.”
Leonhardt, still grumbling, gently set the doll down on the bed.
‘See? He pretends otherwise, but he secretly adores it.’
The doll I’d given him years ago had occupied one corner of his bed until it showed unmistakable signs of age.
I’d even caught him sleeping while holding it on occasion.
As I smiled with satisfaction, Leonhardt shook his head as if conceding defeat and let out a soft laugh.
Out of consideration for Leonhardt’s social standing, I’d reserved my playful mischief to his bedroom alone.
Because of this, touring the rest of the Prince’s Palace didn’t take an extraordinary amount of time.
However, given the palace’s inherent scale, by the time we’d completed our circuit, a considerable amount of time had elapsed.
Leonhardt checked the hour, which had grown later than anticipated, and started visibly before making a careful suggestion.
“Shall we head back now?”
It was already past midnight, drawing close to dawn.
Regardless of Leonhardt’s exceptional stamina, after months of arduous marching followed by an entire day of triumphal processions and celebratory balls, exhaustion was entirely warranted.
“Yes.”
I was growing drowsy myself, so the answer came readily.
The moment we exited the Prince’s Palace and boarded the carriage, Leonhardt urged Hans, the coachman, onward.
“Drive as quickly as you can.”
Puzzled by his uncharacteristic urgency, I heard Hans’s hearty laugh from the driver’s seat.
“It seems Your Highness is in quite the hurry. Very well, I shall make haste.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
Leonhardt leaned back against the carriage seat, arms crossed, his expression tense.
And Hans drove the horses with genuine fervor.
Despite the late hour and empty roads, we arrived at Roderick Mansion in less than half the time it had taken to reach the Imperial Palace.
The moment the carriage stopped, Leonhardt opened the door himself and jumped down, extending his hand to me.
As if urging me to take it quickly.
This was the first time I’d seen Leonhardt behave with such urgency, so I wondered what was amiss—but I obediently took his hand and descended from the carriage.
Only after we’d entered the Manor did I discover why Leonhardt had been in such a hurry.

* * *
“It’s been quite some time. I trust you’ve been well?”
The Butler who opened the door greeted Leonhardt with a warm smile.
“I’m always in good health.”
As Leonhardt answered the Butler’s inquiry, his gaze posed a silent question.
“Ah…! I apologize for keeping you when you must be busy.”
The Butler spoke teasingly, then lowered his voice to a whisper.
“Everyone is in the Family Drawing Room.”
At this hour?
Had something happened?
I glanced between Leonhardt and the Butler, trying to gauge the situation, when Leonhardt exhaled a heavy sigh with a somewhat troubled expression before nodding in acceptance.
The Butler guided us to the Family Drawing Room as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Just before the door opened, Leonhardt drew a deep breath, steeling himself.
Upon entering the Family Drawing Room, I found everyone assembled—my Parents, my Brothers, and Merlin—all wearing grave expressions, with only Julian, still an infant, absent.
I tried earnestly to signal Lester and Merlin with my eyes, asking what on earth was happening, but both of them turned their heads away, deliberately avoiding my gaze.
Then Father lifted a teacup that had long since cooled, devoid of any steam, took a sip, and spoke in a low voice.
“You’re late.”
Leonhardt drew a sharp breath at Father’s words, then offered an apology while appearing inexplicably nervous.
“My apologies.”
When Father averted his gaze as though refusing to listen, it became Mother’s turn.
“In Roderick, overnight absences are not permitted before marriage.”
“I’m aware of that.”
Leonhardt’s response was so docile that the family’s previously frigid expressions softened slightly.
“It seems we’ll have to postpone the intimate homecoming celebration for another time.”
At Lionel’s words, Leonhardt flinched in surprise.
“I’m sorry—I genuinely forgot.”
As Leonhardt’s expression grew downcast, the blame shifted to me.
“You should have insisted he come back early.”
“Yes, on his first day back.”
Feeling unfairly accused by this sudden turn of events, Leonhardt defended me instead.
“Miela didn’t know about it…”
The situation was becoming gradually clearer.
“From now on, you must come home earlier—at the very least…!”
In other words, I was on the verge of being subjected to a curfew at my age.
Though it was past three in the morning, considering that the ball had only begun in the evening, my return wasn’t particularly late.
Until now, I had often stayed until nearly the end of the ball and returned at this hour without a word of complaint.
“Strictly speaking, this hardly qualifies as an overnight absence, does it?”
I muttered my grievance, and the family members who had been rattling off their reproaches one by one narrowed their eyes.
Leonhardt turned to me with an expression of evident alarm.
Six pairs of eyes focused on me, yet I simply smiled brightly as though it were of no consequence.
It was exactly the reaction I’d been hoping for.
Then, as if I were dying of exhaustion, I spoke in a drowsy voice.
“I can just sleep once I’m home. I’m tired, so I’ll head upstairs.”
My family was left speechless by this sudden display of filial piety.
But this was all about momentum.
‘If I stay any longer, I’ll just hear nagging.’
I flashed a bright smile at my family and waved my hand before grabbing Leonhardt and leaving the Family Drawing Room.
Truth be told, I was a bit nervous too, so my pace remained sluggish until we left the drawing room, but the moment the door closed behind us, I quickened my stride.
My feet found their proper rhythm only after we reached the landing of the stairs leading up to the bedrooms.
Leonhardt, who had been dragged along in my wake, asked as I let out a sigh of relief.
“Are you alright?”
It seemed like he’d omitted something like “even so” at the beginning.
Unlike Leonhardt, who was surprisingly conformist by nature, I had a somewhat rebellious streak.
“Of course I am.”
I whispered to Leonhardt as if imparting useful advice.
“You can’t admit fault in situations like this. You have to push through as if it’s only natural—that’s how parents learn to adapt.”
“Still….”
Leonhardt still looked confused.
But he immediately capitulated when I mentioned that I didn’t want to miss evening dates until after we were married.
“That’s true.”
I nodded in satisfaction at Leonhardt, who obediently agreed, when genuine drowsiness suddenly washed over me.
“I really need to sleep now.”
As I let out a small yawn, Leonhardt chuckled softly.
“Should I carry you upstairs?”
He spoke while alternating his gaze between my half-closed eyes and the stairs, and I wondered what he was thinking.
“Are you worried I’ll fall asleep on the way up?”
“Yes.”
To be honest, I was tempted by the prospect of not having to walk up on my own since everything felt so tedious.
But when Leonhardt agreed so readily, a stubborn pride suddenly flared up in me.
“Absolutely not!”
I marched up the stairs with determination.
Leonhardt followed slowly behind me.
As if he were ready to catch me the moment I stumbled on the stairs.
Of course, I made it up all the stairs without incident.
Then, at the fork where our paths diverged toward our respective rooms, I turned back and offered a haughty farewell with my chin held high before heading toward my room.
“Sleep well.”
It was something I’d said thousands of times, yet it felt strangely unfamiliar today.
It wasn’t just me—Leonhardt hesitated for a moment before answering belatedly.
“You too.”
Even though it was natural for us to go to our separate rooms and sleep, the moment felt oddly strange.
“That’s strange.”
I laughed softly and shared my observation.
“When the height difference between you and me was this pronounced, it was only natural that we’d enter the same room and lie in the same bed, so perhaps that’s why.”
It was a casual remark, but for some reason, Leonhardt’s face flushed a deep crimson.
“Ahem, I’m exhausted. Quite thoroughly.”
Leonhardt, whose expression betrayed no signs of fatigue whatsoever, spoke awkwardly before vanishing swiftly into his room.
Only then did I realize the implications woven into my own words, and my face too began to burn.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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